A Very Local East London Diary

July 25, 2008

"Hackney Borough Council's planning committee voted five votes to two to defer a decision on granting planning consent for the 4m sq ft Foster & Partners-designed scheme...The decision will be a boost for the local campaigners against the scheme who are fighting to keep a popular bar on Shoreditch high street - the Light Bar - in operation. The bar, which is owned by Hammerson and operated by James Goff, would be demolished as part of the plans...

The scheme was nearly dealt a total knock out blow early on when four members of the seven in an unofficial vote count before the formal vote said they planned to refuse the scheme. However one member then tabled a motion to defer the decision to give Hammerson time to see if it could redesign the scheme to include the bar."